Eddington man indicted for theft to pay legal fees

BANGOR, Maine — An Eddington man serving four years in prison for assaulting his estranged wife was indicted Wednesday by the Penobscot County grand jury for allegedly stealing money from his former business to pay legal expenses.

Ryan Witmer, 33, is charged with writing five checks between July 2 and July 15, 2008, totaling $47,000. He allegedly wrote the checks to a relative while in Penobscot County Jail facing the charges that led to his incarceration, said Deputy District Attorney Michael Roberts.

An arraignment date on the new charge has not been set.

The money came from Mortgage Marketing Solutions LLC, formerly located in Bangor, which Witmer owned with a partner, according to Roberts. The prosecutor did not name Witmer’s partner. The business no longer exists.

Efforts to reach Witmer’s attorneys were unsuccessful Wednesday.

Witmer was accused of breaking into the Orrington home he had previously shared with his then-estranged wife and attacking her and her boyfriend late on the evening of June 28, 2008. The boyfriend, who has a black belt in tae kwan do, a Korean self-defense art, suffered 11 stab wounds to his back. Witmer’s wife, who had taken out a protection order to keep him away from her, suffered superficial cuts to her forearms, according to court documents.

After a 5½-day trial, a Penboscot County jury in November found Witmer not guilty of aggravated attempted murder, elevated aggravated assault, aggravated assault and burglary. Jurors found him guilty of the lesser charges of simple assault and violation of a protection-from-abuse order.

In December, Superior Court Justice William Anderson sentenced Witmer, who has no criminal record, to four years in prison. The 16 months Witmer was held without bail while awaiting trial was applied to his sentence.

If convicted of the new charges, Witmer could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000. He also could be ordered to pay restitution to his former business partner.

Witmer most likely would serve any sentence imposed as a result of a conviction on the theft charge after he completes his incarceration at the Maine Correctional Center in Windham.

Also indicted Wednesday were:

Chad M. Beal, 20, Dexter, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking.

Cody James Berry, 19, Corinna, two counts of operating a motor vehicle after license revocation.

Taylor Cummings, 22, Dixmont, two counts of operating a motor vehicle after license revocation, criminal operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants, violation of condition of release.